Financial decision-making involves math - let’s build students’ confidence in both! Using graphing calculators in personal finance, students can learn to navigate financial formulas and get to the heart of thorny questions, like how much house can I afford? And how much should I be investing for retirement? Here's how you can get started using TI graphing calculators with NGPF activities.

The Finance Solver

To get started, we’ll focus on the Finance Solver. The Finance Solver is a versatile application that is found in many TI graphing calculators, including TI-84 and TI-Nspire calculators, that can be used to solve problems about loans and investments. 

If you’re not familiar with the Finance Solver yet, check out these introductory videos that walk you through how to access and use the Finance Solver, depending on your calculator.

• Using the Finance Solver APP | TI-84 Plus CE
• Finance Solver | TI-Nspire CX II CAS

NGPF Activities to Pair with the Finance Solver

If you’re comfortable with a calculator and ready to dive in on your own, head over to the NGPF Math Activities page to find the perfect activity for your math classroom. Otherwise, keep reading for our curated selection of activities to pair with a graphing calculator.

Getting started

These activities keep it simple. Students fill in fields on the Finance Solver, then use it to solve for the missing variable.

• MATH: Two Ways to Double Your Savings
• MATH: Exponential Growth in Investments 
• MATH: Depreciation of Car Value
• MATH: Active vs Passive Funds
• MATH: Exponential Decay in Purchasing Power
• MATH: Compound Interest in Savings Accounts
• MATH: Auto and Mortgage Monthly Payments
• MATH: Mortgage Payments & Function Notation
• CALCULATE: Using a Mortgage Calculator
• CALCULATE: Impact of Credit Score on Loans
• CALCULATE: The Cost of Rent-to-Own

Leveling up

These activities step up the complexity by adding in the amortization function as well.

• APPLICATION: Recursive Formulas for Loan Balances
• APPLICATION: Loans and the Compound Interest Formula
• MATH: The Cost of Minimum Payments
• CALCULATE: Shopping with Interest
• CALCULATE: Debt Avalanche v. Debt Snowball 

Don't miss out!

Check out these webinar recordings for more tips and tricks on using graphing calculators in personal finance.

• NGPF Podcast: Dr. Lindsay Gold and Mike Houston from Texas Instruments
• Texas Instrument's Webinar: TI Webinar: Using Graphing Calculators in Your Financial Literacy Program

Plus, explore more free activities on Texas Instrument's new Financial Literacy page!

About the Author

Kathryn Dawson

Kathryn (she/her) is excited to join the NGPF team after 9 years of experience in education as a mentor, tutor, and special education teacher. She is a graduate of Cornell University with a degree in policy analysis and management and has a master's degree in education from Brooklyn College. Kathryn is looking forward to bringing her passion for accessibility and educational justice into curriculum design at NGPF. During her free time, Kathryn loves embarking on cooking projects, walking around her Seattle neighborhood with her partner and dog, or lounging in a hammock with a book.